holiday treats: peanut butter-chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies

It's December 21st and Christmas is all around with:

- giant snowflakes on Columbus Avenue

- holiday markets with red stripes and gingerbread men

- the Rock Center tree

- ice skating in circles at Wollmann Rink and The Pond

- peppermint Mocha's and red Starbucks cups

- fresh-cut trees being bartered on street corners

- holiday windows on 5th Avenue

- freezing cold apartments and salted sidewalks

- ugg's accessorizing every outfit

- horrible fragrance commercials flanking every TV show

- christmas parties and holiday cards

- lots of wine and bubbles

- snow wishes

- doggies in sweaters

- my birthday (and the late night it implies)

- Mom's pretzel salad

- White Christmas on AMC

and, maybe best of all, Christmas cookie exchanges!

I asked my co-workers for their favorite Christmas cookies and got a surprising answer: good ole Chocolate Chip. I've had a personal hankering for my own favorite Christmas cookies lately (and I'm on batch #4) so I found a recipe that combines the two into a cookie filled with deliciousness.

These were picture perfect and I stacked them together as a holiday treat for colleagues. Hope you're making the most of the last few days before Christmas! Merry, merry!

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal Cookies

Sunset Magazine

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups chocolate chips (1 12-oz package)

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped (I left these out)

In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and oats.

Drop dough in rounded 2-tbsp. portions, 3 inches apart, onto buttered or cooking parchment-lined baking sheets. With a fork, flatten slightly into 2 1/2-inch rounds about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake in a 350 F oven until cookies are golden and tops feel set when lightly pressed, about 12 minutes (they will feel underdone but will firm up as they cool).

Let stand 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to racks to cool.